Khomotso Manyaka

For most young actors, having an Oscar nomination under your belt before you can legally drink is almost unheard of – not for Khomotso Manyaka. After the blistering success of Life, Above All, Manyaka received the nod at just 15 years old – and she also holds Golden Horn and SAFTA Awards. And while this seems like the beginning of a filmstar fairytale, Manyaka joins us to speak frankly about the realities of being Young, Hungry and Talented in the acting world today. Donning a pair of limited edition Marvel Vans, with a punk rock dreaded mohawk, the 21 year old is equal parts girl-next-door and badass. In this interview, she opens up about straddling the line of ‘having made it’ and still having to work daily to ‘make it’.

Currently starring as Zenzile on the Mzansi Magic drama iKhaya, Manyaka is making her mark on the small screen, but she’s nowhere close to stopping. Putting her accolades in the rear view, she is firmly focused on the current role, the next one, and the one after that. With her say yes attitude and obvious talent, her trajectory is sure to go nowhere short of infinity and beyond.